CBF is pleased to announce Zaida Betancourt has been promoted to Commercial Loan Officer. Mrs. Betancourt has been part of the Community Bank Financial Family for over two years and has over 27 years of banking industry experience in the areas of Loan Servicing, Loan Operations, Credit Administration, and Portfolio Management.. Her current responsibilities include coordinating and supervising the administration of the Special Assets Department’s portfolio.

Zaida was born in Colombia and has lived in Miami since 1980. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Professional Administration from Barry University. She enjoys spending her free time with family and states she has been “blessed with a long term marriage of over 26 years and two adorable adult sons.” Her motto for dealing with adversity is “In changing times, new habits.”

In case you haven't heard, after tallying almost 1,500 ballots, the three Outstanding Local Businesses Award nominees with the most votes were: Chefs on the Run; Rodbenders Raw Bar & Grill and White Lion Café.

These nominees worked hard to campaign for votes and will now move forward to be judged by an independent panel of community leaders. They will be scored based on their business’s story, obstacles they have overcome, innovation and community involvement.

We encourage you to visit all three of these local restaurants to learn more about them and taste their fabulous food. On May 25, 2012 Community Bank of Florida will hold an award luncheon honoring all 3 nominees and announce the big winner!

CBF is pleased to announce Lisa Greer has been promoted to First Vice President of the Commercial Lending Department. Mrs. Greer has been part of the financial family for over ten years and has extensive banking experience, ranging from Human Resources to Branch Operations and Lending. Her current responsibilities include business development activities, managing a commercial loan portfolio and participating in training and growth opportunities.

Lisa was born in Massachusetts and raised in Homestead as a child of Air Force parents. She has kept to her military roots by serving as a Board Member and past Chairperson of the Chamber South Military Affairs Committee. She is also active in the agricultural and business communities, serving as a Board Member and past Chairperson of the Economic Development Council of South Miami Dade and Board Member of the Miami-Dade County Chapter Florida Nursery Growers and Landscapers Association (FNGLA). In 2009, the FNGLA awarded her “Chapter Treasurer of the Year.” In her free time, Lisa enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time with her family.

Looking forward to her promotion, Lisa stated, “Community Bank is a unique company to work for- family and community oriented with a culture of excellence in service. Our culture instills a sense of worth, which is so important to growth and happiness. It’s a pleasure to be a part of this family and a part of such a meaningful culture.”

Visiting Robert Cummings & Bud Cornell at their resort in Key Largo was more like a field trip than work. Their hammock, sandy beach, tiki bar and interesting animal sculptures made it hard to leave. The two gentlemen have a long history with CBF and shared more about how their business started:

“Bud and I both moved to the Keys from the midwest in the late 70’s, in search of nice weather and a relaxed atmosphere. We met as time-share salesmen and became best friends and business partners. We began specializing in the lodging industry in the late 80’s, then became hoteliers at the turn of the millenium. After 30 years in the hospitality business, we now own Sunset Cove Resort in Key Largo, as well as the Drop Anchor Resort in Islamorada. This is our 10th year of owning Sunset Cove and we enjoy its quaint history of being the first motel ever built in Key Largo. The old Key Largo Theater is now our laundry facility. Running the resorts has become more than just a career, it is a way of life. It’s also become a family business; our kids grew up here and our sons now work alongside of us.

We’re both very involved in local business. I am active in the hospitality industry and Bud is active in the real estate market. We’ve financed several properties with Community Bank and it’s been a pleasure every time. It’s great to have a relationship with your banker and your lender, but it’s even nicer to be able to call the President of the bank and be on a first-name basis. That’s how our relationship is at Community Bank, and that’s why we feel they are the last of the community banks.”

CBF is proud to celebrate Karen Houtz’s 5th Anniversary! Ms. Houtz is currently a Commercial Relationship Officer at the Lakeland Financial Center. She manages the commercial loan portfolio and is responsible for the origination of all commercial loans in Polk County.

Karen is a seasoned banker, with over 16 years of financial services experience. She is also a third generation Lakeland native. In her free time, Karen enjoys helping rescued animals find adoptive families and serves as a board member of the local SPCA. She is also very active in local organizations, including the Kiwanis Club of Lakeland, Leadership Lakeland Class XXVIII, the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, where she is a Chamber Champion, and she is the Incoming Vice-Chair of EMERGE Lakeland. Karen expressed, “Lakeland is a wonderful place to grow up and call home. There are so many opportunities here and being involved in civic organizations allows me to meet many business owners. My goal is to help them expand and succeed!”